Rock M. Sakura is here! She competed on Season 12 of RuPaul’s Drag Race and she tells us all about the inspiration behind their costumes and performances. We ask Rock M if they think there really is a “San Francisco curse” on Drag Race. After being sent home second they are still serving encouragement and advice for any queen from San Francisco who wants to compete on Drag Race. Then they tell us why it was important for them to acknowledge their own history of sex work, following a series of attacks on Asian American sex workers. 

Jackie Cox is here to tell you all about JackieVision! her all-new solo tour, premiering September 2021 and inspired by the Emmy-nominated Disney+ series, WandaVision.

Jackie used to live in SF and we chat about Cookie Dough and her days performing at The Edge. She catches us up on her podcast, “It Do Take Nerd” brought to you by World of Wonder, and how a nerd identity can be healthy and inclusive for queer people. Then we talked about our shared love of classic television, including how she grew up on Nick at Nite reruns like Bewitched, I Dream of Jeannie, and Brady Bunch. We find out exactly what kind of nerd Jackie and I are… and it turns out that Marc is a Murder She Wrote nerd!

Jackie tell us all about working with Lisa Rinna and bringing back her RPDR S.12 “Snatch Game” Lisa Rinna to the new Days of Our Lives miniseries!

We get into the weeds with Calpernia Addams about how language can change, casual activism, and reflect on fighting and surviving the queer liberation. Calpernia shares some of her experiences growing up in a strict fundamentalist Christian cult and her journey coming to adulthood serving in the military as a combat medic in Saudi Arabia during the Gulf War. Then she tells us all about how Navy lesbians contributed to her post-service glow up! 

Calpernia gives us an insider perspective on Hollywood casting of transgender, gay, and lesbian roles and she tell us about the work of her production company Deep Stealth Productions with Andrea James. We ask her about the film Soldier’s Girl (2003) which portrayed the 1999 hate crime murder of her real life boyfriend PFC Barry Winchell at Ft. Campbell, Kentucky, USA. 

We talked to Jinkx Monsoon and she recollects our first meeting and explains exactly how Heklina is responsible for her entire drag career! We do actually dig into the creation of Jinkx Monsoon and let me just say it is Absolutely Fabulous! If you were wondering about how Jinkx and Dela came to create the best holiday show of 2020 (in the middle of a pandemic, when we all really needed one) definitely check this one out to hear about the vision and execution of an awesome (independent) movie now under @televisionacad #FYC campaign. We get the whole Jinkx and Dela story including an exciting announcement about the 2021 holidays. Marc nerds out on Jinkx’s voice acting career and he asks her about her work on Steven Universe, Helluva Boss, and more! Listen in because Jinkx Monsoon’s Favorite Memory of Heklina is a classic!

You probably know him from his work with Madonna on the Blonde Ambition Tour and bringing Vogue to the masses. Luis Xtravaganza is a vogueing pioneer. He has his own podcast called Werque, and a monthly vogue workshop he plans to bring back in Los Angeles and Palm Springs. Luis tells us all about how he first started shaking it to Iris Chacón in front of the TV and later as a performer at the New York ballroom and dance scene where he was a member of the House of Xtravaganza. Luis recounts times spent with Madonna on tour and preparing for the MTV music video awards, and the making of the film Madonna: Truth or Dare (1991), and Madonna’s support of his own work. We find out about ‘Bitchiest Bunch’ drag bunch happening outdoors every Sunday at Luis’ show club, Oscar’s Downtown in Palm Springs. Listen in for a really fun time catching up with Luis Camacho Xtravaganza!

We have the EGOT of awards show writers! It’s Bruce Vilanch! You might know him from the 90’s reboot of Hollywood Squares, or his contributions to Bette Midler’s shows such as “Clams on the Half Shell” or “Divine Madness.” He has been a recurring guest judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race, but we have him all to ourselves this week.  

We talk to him about The Fabulous Allan Carr, and he gives us some insight into working with Allan on the infamous 1989 Oscars. He tells us all about the good stuff that got cut from the show and what inspired some of the cringier moments.

We have Landon Cider, the studly, glamorous, ghoulish Drag King and winner of Season 3 of The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula! We hear about the countless talented kings that have preceded Landon, the fantasy of masculinity (it’s more than just grabbing your dick and waving it around!) and the inspiration behind Landon and how he fell in love with the transformative elements of makeup. Also, why is Marc always picking on RuPaul? We get Landon’s take on representation on RPDR.

CHRISTEENE! tells us all about living in New York, spending time with creative friends, and making some new music with folks like Roddy Bottum, Fever Ray, and John Grant. We hear about going on tour with Peaches (the famous one) and working with audiences in the UK. Then we talk about internet call-outs and getting to the bottom of being a human being. We discuss Heklina’s favorite memory of CHRISTEENE. Here’s a hint: it involves the Queen Mary ship and Murder She Wrote! This episode is straight outta Jessica Fletcher’s a-hole!

We have Peppermint! She tells us all about her experiences working in her first Broadway show, “Head Over Heels” featuring music and lyrics from The Go-Go’s!

Peppermint brings us an update on Black Queer Town Hall, a collaboration with Bob the Drag Queen. We find out about her Twitch show all about classic Black cinema called “Pepp Talks.” She has a trilogy of albums and you can hear a little something from the new release A Girl Like Me: Letters To My Lovers (get it on Soundcloud).

“Best Sex” song by Peppermint is featured with permission by the artist.

We’re speaking with Leo Herrera, an activist/filmmaker, writer, and queer viral-art film artist. We discuss his prolific and timely micro essays as well as his multi-episodic, science fiction documentary The Fathers Project, which asks you to imagine a queer world if there had been no AIDS. We get deep into it about what’s at stake in the US Presidential election but also talk about what’s BEEN going on and how some must really plan for survival. Leo tells us about up-coming archival release from The Fathers Project, bringing you moving images from queer sanctums and sanctuaries throughout the USA. Find out more at iftheylived.org.

This episode we are joined by one of my favorites: comedienne and actress Julie Brown. Comedy in the age of cancel culture is something that we discuss a lot on Drag Time with Heklina and we get a real sweetheart’s take on political correctness in comedy. She tells us about meeting Michael Jackson while working on the dance number for her Madonna spoof entitled “Vague,” and then we reminiscence about her work on the set of Clueless (she was the lesbian gym teacher.) We play a game of “Who’s a bitch?” Listen in to find out if Zsa Zsa Gabor is one - and more! Julie Brown even tells us all about her warm spot for San Francisco!

Ww couldn't be more excited to bring you The Boulet Brothers this week. We talk to Swan and Drac about the good old days at Queen Kong in Los Angeles, how much fun it is to make a transgressive and queer reality (hit!) television Dragula now streaming on Netflix. We find out the Brothers' favorite memories about Heklina and hear a heartfelt message from Swan and Drac about keeping the conversation going during difficult times. Then, James Arthur M actor, comedian, choreographer, and the co-creator, host, and producer of of one of our favorite podcasts, Minority Korner, joins us as a special contributor! We learn more about how to empower ourselves in the quest to un-learn oppression, racism, and center self-care while loving one another.